Changkya Rolpe Dorje was an extraordinary learned and realized Gelugpa teacher who lived in the eighteenth century. In his song, Recognizing my Mother, the mother he refers to is the nature of ones mind.

His song makes a clear distinction between recognizing and not recognizing the nature of mind. With engaging imagery, he characterizes our failure to recognize our own mind as being like a small child sitting in his mothers lap who forgets where he is and looks for his mother everywhere else. The song teaches many profound and difficult points using imagery like this. Thrangu Rinpoches commentary clearly shows the intended meaning of the imagery. The song is published in Karl Brunnholzls book Straight from the Heart: Buddhist Pith Instructions (Snow lion Publications 2007). This teaching is also available on DVD. A copy of the song is included along with this DVD set. Rinpoches commentary, including question and answer sessions, is presented in eight talks. Translated by David Choepel.